Hi hermitwin, I dont think Buddhism can be improved upon. If other Buddhists believed this we'd have no Abhidhamma, commentarial tradition, Visuddhimagga, etc.... We certainly wouldn't have Dhammawheel. We'd have doctrinal solidarity. as a manual for nibbana What do you think is a manual? Kindly, dL

HI Pesala, "Buddha" means so much more than just “awake.” Perhaps. I was speaking about its etymological root. The best source on the attributes of a Buddha is the Mahāsihanāda Sutta . On his perfection see especially the Four Kinds of Intrepidity. Why not MN 123? Here we have--in these suttas and y...

Hi SDC, ...you can't talk about it experientially but it [nibbana] can be discussed intellectually. Which goes to Right View. I submit: intellectualizing vs. experiencing is a false dichotomy; theory and practice is a dialectic; Right View is an intellect/theory and experience/practice dialectic. Ki...

I dont think Buddhism can be improved upon. Buddha teaches the way to end dukkha for 40 years. If you wish to widen the appeal of Buddhism, sure there are many creative ways to do it. But as a manual for nibbana, it is all there already. If Buddha was not perfect, then Buddha is a liar. then he is ...

Damn, I must've came off like a**hole for you to have responded that way. My bad. It was more of a general sentiment on saddha that was not directed at you. My response won't be as preachy I promise. Real quick though, no you can't talk about it experientially but it can be discussed intellectually...

SDC, You're preaching to the choir on the faith issue (except for the debates regarding it's Buddhist meaning). That's obvious. Re: "awakening"; ok. Begin the discourse. But as Aloka and equilibrium pointed out, how can you talk about something you haven't experienced (back to faith, no?)? Nibbana, ...

PS: I know it's not very Theravadin (whatever that is; that itself is obvioulsy highly contentious) to say the Buddha and arahants aren't perfect, but if being Theravadin means I have to believe every single one of its doctrinal points then I have no interest in Theravada because then it's susceptib...

Pesala's, Sylvester's, Daverupa's and santa100's posts, are very helpful. Thanks to all of you. I'll dig in some more later, but for now, it seems that (1) there's some redactor "corruption" regarding Devadatta (no big surprise) and (2) the Buddha was skilled at what we moderns might call a distinct...

I agree that some of my views at times are not typical, but how exactly do you think they're "wierd"? Your spelling is weird too ;) Not all criticism is rooted in anger or aversion. Sometimes, the Buddha spoke words that were true, displeasing to others, but beneficial. Not all speech that is displ...

He was fully/perfectly enlightened/awakened by his definition and standards, which in part were derived from his culture. But he was not perfect in all ways. Culture? I'm beginning to question your concept of awakening. Now I'm not saying you are not aware of the finer details, but if you were I do...

(2) There are several instances in the suttas and vinaya where the Buddha clearly demonstrated anger towards others. You have some weird views. The very definition of an Arahant or Buddha is someone who has eradicated all traces of anger. From the sutta quoted above: How could anger rise in him who...

Hello all, No need to feel Dosa if people have different perspectives on the Buddha and his Dhamma. One of the most valuable Suttas for me over the years has been the Akkosa Sutta: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn07/sn07.002.wlsh.html With metta, Chris Hi Chris, Very REBT/CBT. But: (1)...

Hi Dan, ...most people here accept that the Buddha was fully enlightened. I accept that, and have said nothing here in opposition to that. He was fully/perfectly enlightened/awakened by his definition and standards, which in part were derived from his culture. But he was not perfect in all ways. Kin...

Can Buddhism be improved upon? Was the Buddha perfect? Why would one wish to "improve" Buddhism if one doesn't understand what it is yet? What exactly is a Buddha anyway?.....if we don't know what it is, then how can we say it is perfect or imperfect? Yes, exactly. This is what I was trying to say ...

Hi equilibrium, Can Buddhism be improved upon? Was the Buddha perfect? Why would one wish to "improve" Buddhism if one doesn't understand what it is yet? Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you mean by "understanding," but there are plenty people who understand what Buddhism is, many of which frequent t...

In his recent talk, Not Self , between 2:35 and 4:55, Gil Fronsdal tells a story of how some young nobles found him meditating in a royal park in a capital city asking if he'd seen a courtesan they suspected of stealing their jewelry while they were napping, to which the Buddha replied, "Would you r...

Hi clw-uk, So the answer to "Is then murder justified in Buddhism, if it saves lives?" Would be it depends on the circumstance. What kind of murder. How many lives. And so on. Of course this is all in the speculative realm and perhaps best put aside... Hitler and Stalin ... Or to put it another way ...

Hi clw-uk, I suppose its because he did not try to compose some unifying ethical theory. There is a section in Peter Harvey's An Introduction to Buddhist ethics p49 on Comparisons with Western ethical systems. Interesting point Would you see western ethical theories as a failure as they try to reduc...